BCrest Collective Food Drive

Beverly Crest Neighbors and Friends - I ask for your help the next few weeks.

You likely do not see the impacts here in South Charlotte but there are thousands of less fortunate families throughout our city who are terrified to go to the grocery store to even purchase food for risk of being accosted even if they are legal US citizens.  They fear for the safety of their family and friends. 

Even without ICE, SNAP benefits are barely back in motion as a result of the government shutdown and the holiday season is always a stretch for less fortunate families. 

The most basic and immediate action we can take to help is to provide food and home delivery to those in need.  Our Saintfield neighbor, Mark Kemp is the music director at Myers Park Presbyterian and is working directly with their community outreach coordinator to collect and distribute food directly to those in need.  Any donation is greatly appreciated.

Please leave canned foods on the front porch at 7329 Prescott Lane (Mark and Kelly Kemp). It can be 100% anonymous. Each Friday through the end of the year, Mark will take the donations to his church where their outreach program will ensure the food gets to those in need. 

I urge you to purchase a few extra items each week when you grocery shop and drop off at Kemps.  If you would rather donate, venmo @amlinz and I will work with Mark to purchase with your donation. 

Recommended Items:

Cleaning supplies, Toilet paper, Paper towels, bottled water, pasta, Flour, Sugar, coffee, rice, beans, condiments (mayo, ketchup), juice, oil, kid snacks, baby formula, canned and packaged food (no perishable foods, glass or items requiring refrigeration)

If you have are interested in further volunteering, advocating, training to support our Charlotte Community, Mark and his team have a healthy list of resources they can share (Thank you Mark)

Aaron Linz 704 241 0838 

Mark Kemp 864 354 9897

Art Loeb Trail

Trail Provisions

-phone, gps watch, running vest

-AllTrails map downloaded, laminated trail map

-filter, emergency blanket, head lamp

-8-10 tailwind/skratch, LMNTs; 8-10 gel/snacks

-carry 6 500m bottles (3L)

-stage at Black Balsam - 3L bottle, a few gallons and snacks

FRIDAY Aug 22

-Aaron departing 12-1pm est: 3hrs to Camp Daniel Boone (161 miles)

-Aaron to leave Joan Jetta at Camp Daniel Boone; Ryan pickup Aaron @4pm est; car will have extra water, gatorade, snacks for after

-Ryan and Aaron to drive to AirBnB; 5-5.30pm

-Settle in AirBnB

-Ryan/Rachel to drive to Black Balsam and stage a car, drive back

-Dinner (make something at house, Brevard Pizza works, One More Thai, 185 King Street)

-Lights out around 10pmish or whatever works for each person

SAT Aug 23

-5.35am wake-up for Aaron, coffee, breakfast, potty

-6.10am depart, we have the airbnb so can leave whatever want there. 

-6.30am start on the trail

-Butter Gap water pipe (approx 9 miles) 

-11.30-noon arrive at Black Balsam (approx 18-19 miles, 19 miles @16 min pace 5hrs, 20 min pace 6hr 20 min); refuel, Rachel exit;

-4pm Camp Daniel Boone approx arrive (approx 12-13 miles, 13 miles @ 16 min 3.5hrs, 20min pace 4hr 20 min

-5pm Alt Camp Daniel Boone if do Cold Mountain, extra 3 miles, extra 60-75 min

-4-4.30pm chill; 4.30pm depart back to trailhead, Aaron drive 1hr 37 min

-5.30pm back at trailhead; head back to AirBnB, shower, dinner, stay or drive home

Grand Canyon South Rim - Dec 2025

Dec 10-12 Grand Canyon South Rim 

** Shuttle 8am-8pm Dec 1 onward, vistor center 10am

** bike rentals 10am- 4pm

	To Phantom and back						** subtract minutes from when actually start at SK trailhead
#	Leg	Mileage	Elevation	G/L	Water	Min	Time	Avg Pace	Rest and Tactic
0	Mather Point	0	7118				7:00 AM		might park here or closer to trail head
0	MP to SK Trailhead	2	7260		Y	30	7:30 AM		conservative in case want to take pics, stop for last bathroom stop at SK trailhead
1	SK Trailhead to Ooh Aah Point	0.9	6434	-826	N	30	8:00	20	Walk down with Izzy; pics then head out
2	SK Trailhead to Phantom	6.2	6434 - 2545	-3889	Y	80	9:20	10	hold back going down so don't blow legs out
4	Phantom to Black bridge to the Tipoff	2.7	2545-3947	1402	N	60	10:20	20
5	Tipoff to SK Trailhead	4.4	3947 - 7260	3313	N	100	12:00:00 PM	22	no water for 7.1, 2hr 40 min
		14.2	without Mather
		16.2	with Mather				12:30:00 PM
		18.2	with Mather on both sides

Grand Canyon Alerts (trail closures, water outages, weather)

Dec 10 - Sunrise 6.30-7am pre dawn; sun fully up 7.28am, Sunset 5.15pm

---------------------------

Day 1 - Wed Dec 10 - Travel to the Canyon

9.20am flight; 7.30am at airport parking lot (need to check a bag in); pick Izzy up at 7.05am, depart house at 6.25am

Fly to Phoenix land 12.30pm, Rental car (booked through hotwire wed-sun - $263; Sixt confirmation # 9723141950); consider grabbing lunch or heavy snack at airport before leave or right when we 1st rent

Drive to Flag (2hr 15 min, 148 miles) depart 1.30pm, arrive by 4pm, east on the way or at airport

Running store (if needed) and Whole Foods for nutrition and fluids for am and Canyon (if needed)

Hit outdoor stores

Pizzicletta; Mother Road Brewing company; grab pizza to bring for dinner or eat on rim

Drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (1hr 32 min, 79 miles) depart at 5pm, arrive 6.30pm

Check into Holiday Inn Squire Inn - 61878622 (reserved for Wed-Fri so no rush to check out after Canyon)

Day 2 - Thurs Dec 11 - Canyon Day

• 5.55am wake-up; depart from hotel at 6.25am
• drive and park at Mathers Point (Visitors center) - 6.45am
• walk together to trail (2 miles); Izzy will need to walk 2 back or take shuttle when back up the trail head
• South Kaibab Trail - 7.30am (might start sooner)
• Text izzy when out (between noon and 1 but could be as early as 11am but as late as 4pm); pick-up at Mathers Point (visitors center)
• Contingency; if you do not hear from me by 6pm, need to inquire with the Rangers and then stay at the hotel to wait.
• Back to hotel, shower, pack, maybe lunch at mexican restaurant, depart around 3pm
• Back to Flag around 5ish
• Check into Embassy Suites - confirmation 94277564
• Diablo Burger or Pizzicleetta dinner; Mother Road Brewing
• See if any live music in Flag for evening, hang in downtown Flag

Day 3 - Fri Dec 12 - Flag/Sedona/Phoenix

• Aaron 7.30-9am run from hotel: Mars hill trail
• Embassy Suites breakfast; depart 10am
• Coffee depart for Sedona at 11am
• Arrive in Sedona 12.30; short hike of 90 min, grab sandwich to go
• Depart Sedona around 2pm, 2hrs to Scottsdale, 126 miles
• Scottsdale by 4pm
• Izzy to airport for 6pm flight

---------------------------------

Aaron Pack/Provisions

hat, tech-t, light shorts, trail shoes, socks, tights, long sleeves, jacket, gloves and hat

pack poles, hand warmers, nutrition, extra jacket - check in luggage

For Pack:

• Credit card, $10 cash, medical card, band-aids, small sunscreen, blanket
• Phantom Ranch is open during daylight hours. Snacks, drinks and medical supplies 8am-4pm; credit cards and cash accepted, lemonade, apple, bar/candy
• map, route directions - print
• water filter
• 6 soft bottles; 2 500ml on front chest, 4 in back

Fluids / Nutrition

• 1 water bottle per hour; 500ml (17 ounces)
• 700-900 calorie burn per hr
• 200-300 digest an hour
• eat approx every 90 min

Aaron - based on 6 hours

• 4 tailwind - approx 180 calories each
• 2 skratch energy chews - 160ish calories (19g carbs, 13g sugar, 35mg sodium)
• 6 gels -approx 100 each: 600ish calories
• 4 electrolyte packs (1000mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 60mag, 10 calories each)
• 4 bars (120ish each), nut/trail mix/peanut butter crackers, cherrios
• supplemental and phantom ranch: 2 lemonades, apple, candy bar

Izzy - based on 2 hours

• 3 bottles, 3 snacks, 3 skratch

USA Marathon Womens Olympic Trials Predictions as of Jan 29 2025

This is my entirely too early USA Marathon Olympic Trials top 3 predictions for the women as of Jan 29 2025

For the record, all of these women are fantastic marathoners who in the right situation can contend for a podium on a world stage.  My predictions here are based on the trajectory and reliability of each athlete 3 years from now.

Tier I: Weini Kelati, Erika Kemp, Dakotah Popehn - all on an upward trajectory

Tier II: 

Amanda Vestri - not sure if she will move to marathon but solid progress

Emily Sisson - hard to count her out

Jessica McClain, Emma Bates - both super capable, can they stay healthy enough? 

Fiona OKeefe - just don't think can stay healthy but if so, right in the conversation as a contender